The Basic Supplies For Starting A Reef Tank At Home

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Reefs are one of nature's most amazing creations. The beautiful reefs one can encounter in the ocean are not just rocks, they are a living organism. If you love the look of a reef, you can start and grow a reef in your own saltwater aquarium. Even a basic tank requires a good number of supplies.

#1 The Tank

With the tank, you need to think about where you want the tank to go in your home and how much space you have for the tank. You need to put the tank somewhere where you have easy access to an electrical outlet, and where the tank will not be disturbed. Find a spot for a tank in your home, measure it, and then select your tank size from there.

#2 Reef Tank Lights

For your reef to grow, it will need to be exposed to specific types of light. Do not use a pre-manufactured light hood as they take up too much space on the surface of the tank and do not allow for the correct exchange of oxygen.

Metal halide lights and power compact fluorescent lamps are the two most appropriate types of lamps for your roof tank. They provide the right amount of light and do not cover the entire top of the tank.

#3 Filtration System

To keep the water clean and simulate the movement of water like there is in the ocean, you will need a filtration system. Power filters are easy to set-up and great for beginners. You are also going to want to grab a protein skimmer, which will help support the biological filter and will allow you to add fish to your reef tank as well if you want to.

#4 Powerhead

The powerhead is the device that helps keep the water flowing and helps simulate the ocean environment. The size of the powerhead will depend on the size of your tank. A small tank will need a smaller powerhead.

#5 Substrate

Next, you need to purchase some substrate. The material that makes up the very base of your tank is the substrate. It is the little rocks and material you see at the bottom of the tank. If you want an active current in your tank, go for the heavier substrate material. If you want a calmer tank, go for the lighter substrate material.

#6 Living Rock or the Reef

Finally, you need to purchase the actual reef material, which is also sometimes referred to as living rock. One of the best types of living rock to add to your reef tank is ricordea. Ricordea is a popular saltwater tanks coral. It can add some pretty color to our tank. They eat most of their energy through photosynthesis but they also like to eat zooplankton-food and tiny shrimp.

To start a saltwater reef, you need a tank, reef tank lights, a filtration system, and powerhead to get the tank running. To fill the tank, you will need the substrate and some coral like ricordea. This will just get you started, once you have your tank set-up you can continue to add corals to your tank and even fish eventually as well.

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27 March 2019